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“Not a clue. I came out here to disappear and start a new life. I didn’t think he would be able to find me.”
“You couldn’t have known,” Heather said.
“I’ve been through so much that I just wanted to forget. Turns out, troubles follow you.”
“Especially lunatic brothers you never knew you had.”
Despite my fear, I giggled. Heather did too.
“I wish we didn’t have to meet this way,” I said after we’d sobered. “I’d have loved to have a sister.”
“If we ever get out of here, we can get to know each other under better circumstances.”
“We’re going to get out of here,” I said. “We have to. You’re going to be a mom.”
“Yeah,” Heather said wistfully. “I was so happy when I got two pink lines. Twenty-four hours later I was lying drugged in the back of the van.”
“We should try to get some sleep,” I said. “God only knows what tomorrow will bring. You need your sleep.”
“I’ll try,” Heather said. “Good night.”
“Good night. Sweet dreams.”
I turned on my side, as I always did when I was falling asleep, and hugged the pillow, praying that tomorrow would bring freedom for Heather and her unborn child as well as for me.
18
CASPIAN
If not for the sedative they gave me to sleep, I would have anxiously stared at the ceiling all night. Instead, I woke feeling much better than I had the day I was shot. I had only one goal. Get the heck out of the hospital so I could help find Elliot. If I had to enlist Rafferty to help me escape then I would. He surely had some strings he could pull.
Martha brought my breakfast, and I asked her when I would be discharged. She said it was up to the doctor and that he would be around to see me soon. “Until then, eat your oatmeal.”
Surprisingly, I was hungry and despite how terrible the food was—criminally bad—I choked it down, knowing I needed strength if I was going to figure out where Elliot had been taken.
No sooner had I finished eating than Pop appeared. He looked terrible, as though he hadn’t slept all night. Maybe he hadn’t.
“Hey, Pop.” I watched him carefully for signs. Did he have good news or bad?
“Hey, bud, how are you feeling? You’re looking better.” He sat on the side of my bed, bringing back memories of childhood. Whenever I’d had a nightmare or was sad or angry, he’d come to my room and we’d talked it out. Back then it had seemed asif there weren’t anything he couldn’t fix. Today, even my strong, brave Pop couldn’t help me.
“I’m better. I want to get out of here. Is there any news?”
“We haven’t found her.” Pop slid the cup of water closer to me. “Drink this up. The nurse said you need fluid. But they’re working with the other woman’s parents. Walsh thinks we’ve found the connection between them.”
“What is it?”
“They rushed some DNA testing, using samples from both women. Not only did it indicate that they’re sisters, there was another match in the system. A man named Robert Russo died three years ago. He’d been convicted of killing for hire. His DNA was collected then as part of the case, so it was in the system. Elliot and Heather Douglas are a match to Russo. He’s their father.” Pop paused, perhaps to allow my brain to catch up with what he was telling me. “This Russo also had a son. Mike Russo’s Elliot’s half-brother.”
“Oh my God,” I said under my breath as the puzzle pieces came together. “But why would he take her? Why not just reach out to have coffee or lunch?”
Pop drew in a deep breath before continuing. “Mike Russo has a record of violence. His DNA was also in the system.”
“What did he do?” I clasped my trembling hands together.
“He was arrested for an armed robbery five years ago.”
“Did he kill someone?” I could hardly breathe my chest was so tight.
